Jerry Garcia was an American musician and guitarist, best known as one of the co-founders of the rock band, The Grateful Dead. The rock band, formed in the mid-1960s was known for its unique and eclectic style which combined elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, and psychedelia. He rose to prominence as the group’s lead guitarist and vocalist during the counterculture era and was also considered by some to be the spokesman of the extremely popular band. For around three decades The Grateful Dead ruled over the hearts of music lovers not just in America, but all over the world. Having gained a reputation for himself as the co-founder of the extremely famous musical group, Jerry Garcia also became involved in other projects alongside, the most notable being the Jerry Garcia Band. He had a very close friendship with the bluegrass mandolinist David Grisman and often collaborated to play with him. For all his creativity and talent, Garcia had a dark side—he was a heavy smoker and addicted to drugs. A diabetic, his health suffered greatly because of his addictions and deteriorated in the 1990s. He died of a heart attack in 1995, at the age of just 53.